Return-ball.



No. 837,147. PATENTED NOV. 2'7, 1906. G. M. THOMAS.

' RETURN BALL.

APPLICATION FILED APR.30,1908.

CASSIUS M. THOMAS, OF CAMDEN, OHIO.

RETURN'fBAL-L- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2'7, 1906.

Application filed April 30, 1906. Serial No. 314,508.

T 0 all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, CAssIUs M. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Camden, in the county of Preble, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Return-Balls; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to return-balls, and more particularly to that class including means for creating a musical sound when in use.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a musical element, such as a reed or whistle, which will serve the double purpose of creating a sound and as a means for securing the elastic cord to the ball.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are top and side views, respectively, of the ball. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view therethrough.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the ball is shown as comprising a pair of hollow hemispherical sections 5 and 6, which are provided with male and female screwthreaded portions 7 and 8, respectively, by means of which the sections are connected to form a completed ball or sphere, it being understood, however, that the sections and also the completed ball may be of any desired shape.

The sound-creating element of my device comprises a plug, which is removably engaged through an opening 7, formed in the center of the member 5. The plug is cylindrical in form and comprises a pair of semicylindrical sections 8 and 9, which are recessed in their opposing faces for the greater portion of their length, as at 10, the said faces of the sections being unbroken, however, at and adjacent their upper ends, as indicated by the numeral 11.

Located between the sections 8 and 9 is a slotted reed-plate 12, having secured thereto a reed 13 of the ordinary construction, the said reed 13 being so positioned upon the plate 12 that it lies within the boundaries of the recesses 10, the plate 12, however, being of a length equal to that of the plug.

In order that the usual elastic cord may be attached to the ball, I form in the lower edge of one of the unbroken portions 11 of one of the sections a notch 14, which, being formed in the lower edge of the said portion, communicates with the recess 10, formed in the said section. The elastic cord (indicated by the numeral 15) is knotted at one end and is engaged at its said end between the notched plug-section and the reed-plate 12, with its knot located within the said notch 14, it being understood that when the plug-sections are inserted in the opening 7 in the ball the end of the elastic cord and reed-plate 12 are clamped therebetween.

In order that air may be admitted to the interior of the ball to sound the reed 13, I form in the section 5 a series of openings 16, which extend downwardly and inwardly toward the center of the ball, it being understood that when the ball is in use the rapid passage of the same through the air Will alternately compress and tend to exhaust the air from the interior of the ball, thereby acting upon the reed to produce sound.

It will be readily understood that, if desired, candy or other articles of merchandise may be placed in the space between the two sections to be sold with the device.

It is to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is- 1. A device of the class described comprising a perforated hollow body, a sectional plug engaged through the wall of the body, a sound-producing element disposed between the plug-sections, and a cord connected with the plug.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a perforated hollow body, a sectional plug engaged through the wall of the body, a sound-producing element disposed between the plug-sections, and a cord having one of its ends disposed between the said sound-producing element and one of the plug-sections.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CASSIUS M. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. HOMSHER, T. E. DAVIS. 

